The fans have generally been steadfast with their support through the rocky times and are now finally enjoying the ride following the team’s best start to a campaign for 40 years — when Brian Clough was in charge.

Like father, like son, even down to
the suggestion that Clough Jnr may be hovering on the edge of Nottingham
Forest’s radar should the fractious partnership with Steve McClaren
fail to last beyond next summer.

The Derby board’s decision to keep their options open in terms of offering Clough a new contract means it is the future of their manager that has been dominating the chat round Pride Park.

As usual, Clough has kept his
thoughts to himself but it is no secret that his current deal runs out
next June, by which time he might have led County back to the Barclays
Premier League.

An unexpectedly balmy night in late
September was rather too early to start talking about promotion,
especially with in-form Barnsley the visitors.

The Yorkshiremen arrived minus eight
first-teamers either injured or ill and had Steele to thank for keeping
them in contention.

Steele pushed out Jeff Hendrick’s early effort and scooped up Jamie Ward’s shot as Derby made the running.

Davies, with four goals in seven
Derby matches ahead of kick-off, saw one effort deflected wide and was
then fouled by David Perkins just outside the Barnsley area.

Davies fired a free kick through the wall but was denied by Steele.

Clough love: Derby County missed out on top spot after drawing at home

Just to compound Barnsley’s problems,
midf ield dynamo Perkins limped off to be replaced by 16-year-old Paul
Digby, one of three academy kids on the bench.

It was Digby’s debut and his first
act was to join the senior players in celebration as Butterfield gave
Barnsley a first-half lead.

To the joy of Barnsley’s travelling support, Oakwell old boy Jason Shackell was at the centre of it too.

Ricardo Vaz Te crossed from the
byline and Shackell lost out to Andy Gray, whose header landed at
Butterfield’s feet eight yards out.

Shackell, celebrating his 28th
birthday, had already endured chants of ‘there’s only one greedy
b******’, following his £750,000 summer switch.

Barnsley’s casualty list grew by one
more with Jay McEveley failing to last the first half while Derby
suffered similarly when Gareth Roberts gingerly left the action.

Despite the fact Derby had played
reasonably well in the first half, a small group chose to mark the end
of the period with a chorus of boos. Seems par for the course, these
days.

Six wins in the first eight games
have raised the bar but Derby have never been blip-free, as shown by the
defeat at Coventry earlier this month.

Clough’s efforts to iron out the wrinkles clearly resulted in a half-time gee-up.

There was a distinct increase in
tempo and it should have resulted in an equaliser for Shackell but the
defender aimed his free header from Ben Davies’s corner over the bar.

When the equaliser came, it arrived from the spot. Ben Davies was upended by Bobby Hassell and the other Davies converted.